Hair curler



March 22, 1938. A. P. CUNNYNGHAM 2,112,074

HAIR CURLIER Filed Nov. 6, 1955 INVENTOR. A/lce Phyllis curmyngham BY ZV ZW "K1IVA'ITORNEY.

Patented Mar. 22, 1938 1mm comma 7 Alice Phyllis Cunnyngham, New York, N. Y., as

signor to Hair Net Packers, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 1;,- 1935, Serial No. 48,491

15 Claims. (01.132-44) This invention relates to improvements in hair curlers and more particularly to hair curlers that are not only effective to form attractive curls but are adapted to yieldso as to avoid discomfort to by an. elastic device surrounding the large ends of the legs and seated in corresponding semicircular grooves in the outer surfaces of the less. This elastic device may be a perforated end of the user, particularly at night while sleeping, and an elastic member or strap havingone or more also to avoid injury to the hair. other perforations at another part so that the An important object of the invention is to prostrap may be carried over a roll of hair on the vide a novel and advantageous hair curler having curler and secured in position by insertion of the the general characteristics above-mentioned. rounded ends of the legs in one of said other Each curler may comprise two members or legs perforations in accordance with a desired adjust- .of yieldable material; rubber for example, adapted ment. Due to the tapered shape of the legs, the to be brought together to grip hair therebetween farther the perforated portion of the strap is and then to be used to wind or roll the hair .therepulled over the free ends of the legs the greater on, and an elastic member or strap extending over the pressure urging the two legs toward each the roll of hair and embracing said legs at opother. The legs of the curler while adapted to posite ends of the roll. Preferably the legs are hold their shape'sufficiently to meet all requireso shaped that the assemblage formed by bringments are sufficiently soft and flexible to coning them together is tapered from one end. to the form sufficiently to the portion of the head, which other to facilitate withdrawal of the curler from may be engaged thereby, to avoid discomfort. the curls formed thereon. Ease of withdrawal Other objects, features and advantages will may also be facilitated by making the surfaces of pp a upon consideration of the following 6.8- said legs very smooth. Such smoothness may scription and of the drawing in which result in insecure gripping of the hair between Fig. 1 is a view illustrating a preferred emsaid legs but this trouble may be avoided by bodiment of the hair curler of the present insuitable provisions at the engaging sides of said vention with hair rolled thereon and secured in legs. The legs are preferably connected or position; hinged together at their large ends by a flexible Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the body of the connection integral with said legs. As to certain curler in extended position as molded; features of the invention, this application is a Fig. 3 is an edge view of the member shown in continuation of my copending application Ser. Fig. 2; No. 23,812, filed May 28, 1935. Fig. 4 is a view of the complete curler withthe According to a preferred embodiment of the legs folded together and held together at their invention, each curler is made of rubber in any large ends by th rr p nd n perforated end suitable manner, as by molding, in a single of the hair-holding elastic member or strap;- straight piece with the large ends of the legs Fig. 5 is a plan view of the elastic strap; connected by means of a relatively thin part. or Fig. 6 is a cross section of the arms of the strap, constituting a hinge. Each of the legs is curler when in the closed position of Fig. 4; and preferably formed with a generally half-round Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating section and with a taper extending substantially a modification. f to its outer end which is rounded so that, when Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a 40 the legs are brought together in folded relation hair curler comprising an elongated body ill havon use, their outer ends will provide a rounded ing a short central portion or hinge ii andend end for the curlsas awhole. At their inner sides, portions or legs i2 and I3 which may be subclose to the rubber hinge strap, the legs may be stantially identical, and means, in the form of an formed with spacing projections. To improve elastic strap I4 having at one end a. perforation the gripping action of the legs the hair-engaging or opening I5 to receive the hinge ends of the portions of the legs may be provided with grooves legs and at the other end one or more openings extending longitudinally of the legs. The curler it to receive the outer or disconnected ends of is normally kept in folded condition with'the the legs, for holding the legs together to grasp spacing projections in engagement, the outer portherebetween hair that is to be wound or rolled tions of the legsbeing bent away from each other thereon and for engaging hair i! on the curler in inserting the hair and the engaging spacing legs and holding it in position aswell as subprojections acting to hold the hair away from jecting it to some pressure. the strap hinge. Said legs may be held in folded The curler may be of any suitable material position in any suitable manner but preferably but preferably is made of rubber having suitable shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is formed as by molding. The body portion, in its original and open position, may be and preferably is of substantially semicircular cross section throughout, and the legs are tapered so as to decrease in cross section obtained by applying a coat of suitable lacquer,

as by dipping. When, however, the surface is very smooth, it is .more difllcult to hold the hair firmly between the legs I2 and I3. -This difllculty may be overcome by suitable provisions at the inner sides of the legs. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6 this result may be obtained by providing the inner side of the leg I2 with three longitudinal grooves or valleys I8 separated by ridges 19, and the inner side of leg I3 with two longitudinal grooves or valleys I8, opposite the ridges I9 of leg I2, and a separating ridge I9,

opposite the middle depression of leg I2.

The hinge portion II of the body I0 may be formed at the base of a deep notch 20 at the rounded side of the central portion of the body I2 and this central portion is preferably formed at its inner side with flat projections or spacing devices 2| at the inner side of the body, whereby if the legs I2 and I3 are folded together, as in Fig; 4, the legs are spaced apart adjacent to these spacing devices or projections to provide for more even spacing of the hair and' prevent it from being moved in too close to the hinge.

The legs I! and I3 may also be provided with grooves 22 in their outer sides opposite the outer ends of the spacing projections 2|. When each leg is half-round as illustrated, each groove is substantially a half circle andthe two grooves form substantially a complete circle around the inner ends of the folded arms. While the same general result may be obtained in various other ways, these grooves determine the position where pressure, to hold the legs together, is provided by suitable means such as the strap Il whose end may, by virtue of the opening or perforation I5, be stretched over the hinged ends of the leg and be seated in said groove.

With the parts positioned as in Fig. 4, the legs I 2 and I3 may be separated, as by bending, sufficiently to insert therebetween hair to be curled. The hair is then wound or rolled about said legs and forces them together to maintain a firm grip or grasp on the hair positioned between said legs I2 and I3. When the winding or rolling is completed, the elastic strap I4, or other suitable extensible resilient device, is stretched across the wound hair I1 and secured in position by placing one of said perforations or openings I6 over the outer ends of said legs I! and II thereby urging them toward each other. The plurality of the openings I6 enablesadjustment of the tension of the strap I4.

, In Fig. 7, there is illustrated a modified form of gripping or grasping means at the inner sides of legs I21; and I3a- -leg I2a being provided at its inner side with a projecting longitudinal rib 23 of wedge-shape in cross section, leg Ha being characteristics and the body portion in the form provided with a corresponding longitudinal recess or valley 24 to receive said rib, and said rib and said recess being provided with grooves I8 and ridges I9 arranged in the same general manner as grooves I8 and ridges I9 in Fig. 6.

It should be understood that various changes may be made in construction and arrangement and that various features may be used without others without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A hair curler comprising two yieldable legs between which hair can be grasped and around both of which hair thus grasped may be wound,

.spacing means between the legs at one end of the curler acting to hold the legs separated at such end of the curler, means yieldably pressing said legs toward each other over said spacing means, and an extensible member extending from said end of the curler, and having a part to hold.the legs together at the other end of the curler.

2. A hair curler comprising an elongated member of resilientrubber having a central flat hinge portion about which the member is folded to provide legs between which may be grasped hair which is then wound therearound, said legs having spacing projections at their inner sides adja-' cent to the hinge portions to leave a space for the hair between the legs adjacent the spacing projections, and an elastic strap having a perforated end embracing the legs at their hinge ends to press said spacing projections against each other and another perforated portion to embrace the other ends of the legs and hold them together as well as hold the elastic strap under tension against hair wound around said legs.

3. A hair curler comprising two yieldable legs between which'hair can be gripped and around both of which hair thus gripped may be wound, said legs in gripping position providing a core of substantially circular cross section and tapered from a larger end provided by larger ends of said legs down to a smaller end formed by smaller ends of said legs, spacing means between the larger ends of said legs acting to hold the legs separated at such ends, means for holding said legs together at their large ends as determined by said spacing means, and said holding means comprising an elastic strap embracing the large ends of said legs and having a perforated portion to go over the smaller ends of said legs to urge the same together and also to hold the elastic strap against hair wound on said legs.

4. A hair curler comprising a single \piece member of rubber having a central fiat portion constituting a hinge and at opposite ends thereof leg members adapted to be brought together to grip hair therebetween and serve as a core on which hair so gripped is wound, said legs being of generally half-round cross section and tapering from their hinged ends down to their free ends, said legs having spacing projections at the inner sides of said legs adjacent to said hinge tending to space the inner surfaces of said legs away from each other adjacent to said projections, and at their large ends substantially semicircular grooves arranged to form a circular groove when the legs are folded together, and an elastic strap having a perforatedend embracing said legs and seated in said semicircular grooves and another perforated portion adapted to receive the smaller ends of the legs and hold them together and hold the strap against a roll of hair on said legs.

5. A hair curler comprising two legs adapted external groove and the grooves of the legs registering with each other, and an elastic strap having a loop stretched over the connecting portions of the legs and fitted'edgewise in said grooves and having another loop in the opposite end thereof adapted to be stretched over the ends of the legs, whereby the hair may be first inserted between the legs and then wound over both legs and then placed under compression by connecting the second loop of the strap with the ends of the legs: said first loop rorming an elastic connector for both legs adapted to permit the same to separate when hair is placed between the legs.

7. A resilient hair curler comprising a one piece member having integrally associated and complementary hair gripping means including a hinge connection, and an elastic element having one end mounted on said member to hold said complementary means closed adjacent said connection and including another end disconnectably associated with a remote end'oi said member to hold said remote end closed.

8. A resilient hair curler comprising a ioldable one piece member having hingedly connected portions; and anelastic element mounted on said member to hold corresponding end portions thereof closed.

- 9. A resilient elongated ioldable member. comprising hinged legs having rectilinear surfaces adapted to grip hair interposed therebetween,

, and means to hold said surfaces in close proximity and corresponding end portions 01' said legs closed.

10. A foldable curler comprising an elongated member defining spaced legs and attenuated means integrally interconnecting said legs to characterize a hinged connection to permit said legs to separate or be brought towards one another. to grip hair interposed therebetween, and an elastic member comprising a loop for holding said legs adjacent said connection closed and means for closing said legs remote from said connection. 1

11. A foldable curler comprising an elongated member defining interconnected swingable legs adapted to be brought towards each other to grip hair interposed therebetween, and an elastic stay 'having means for holding corresponding portions of said. legs substantially at the ends thereof closed.

12. A resilient hair curler wherein an elastic \curler comprises foldable means to grip the hair characterized further in that an elastic element having spaced loop means is disconnectably mounted at the ends thereof.

13. A ioldable member for gripping hair and an elastic stay carried thereby and comprising means "for holding remote ends thereof substantially closed.

14. A foldable resilient member for gripping hair, and an elastic member mounted thereon and adapted to hold complementary portions of said member in close proximity to sustain the hair wound about said member under pressure.- 15. A hair curler comprising an elongated member of sensibly resilient rubber having a substantially centrally disposed attenuated portion and including laterally extending hair clamping legs having inner ends integrally merged with said attenuated portion, said attenuatedportion constituting a hinge interconnecting said inner ends, means for yieldingly urging said ends together, said legs having outer ends, and urging means comprisinga sensibly elastic member having a portion for receiving said outer ends to prevent separation of the latter.

ALICE PHYLLIS CUNNYNG. 

